Part 1

Background

After headache problems and low back pain, depression was the third most common reason for years spent disabled in 2017. Major risk factors for suicide death in the overall population include depression. In terms of Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) nations, South Korea has the highest suicide rate, which is around three times higher than the average (Barberio et al,2021).

Despite the high suicide rate, depression is significantly less common in South Korea than it is in other nations. Major depressive disorder had an annual prevalence of 1.7%, 2.5%, and 3.1% in 2001, 2006, and 2011, respectively, according to research. In cross-sectional research, these values were found to be lower than those of high-income nations, which were 5.5%, and low- to middle-income countries, which were 5.9 per cent. They are also lower than the global average values of 7.2%, which were found in a recent study Past cross-sectional national studies on the prevalence of depressive disorders in South Korea utilized appropriate study populations that differed from study to study and included small number of subjects in the sample population, which decreased the validity of their conclusions in the general population.

Research Questions

In what ways has dementia affected the quality of life for those who care for others in the Korea?

What is the problem of depression prevalent among patients?

What effects can stress, depression and anxiety have on impacted people’s lives?

Objectives

To research how dementia affects people socially and emotionally.

To talk about how long-term dementia impacts careers

To assess the harm dementia causes to careers.

To explain how family and friends are impacted by dementia.

To ascertain how providing care for a patient with dementia affects their quality of life.

The term “ethical considerations in research” refers to a set of guidelines that govern the designs and methods of your studies. Researchers and experts must always follow ethical guidelines while collecting data from humans (Jha et al,2019).

Human study typically aims to comprehend real-world events, investigate effective treatments, examine routines, and improve lives in a variety of ways. There are significant ethical considerations in the topic you decide to research and the methodology you choose (Racine et al,2019).

Discussion

In comparison to the time before the COVID-19 epidemic, the incidence of depression, stress, and suicide attempts among Korean adults did not rise. Only young adults in the population showed signs of depression at a greater rate during the COVID-19 pandemic than they did before. By employing a large, representative sample of people from throughout the country and addressing several factors that might affect depression or stress levels, the current study enhanced previous findings on the effect of the COVID-19 epidemic on affective disorders (Dai et al,2020). In contrast to the findings of other research, the present study found that the prevalence of depression, stress, and suicide attempts was not greater during the COVID-19 pandemic. The early pandemic period’s “honeymoon effects” may have reduced the likelihood of despair, stress, and suicidal thoughts. Public advocacy for quarantine and health-related concerns may increase people’s feeling of national identity (McCabe, You and Tatangelo,2016). In support of this, a UK study of pregnant women with COVID-19 found that knowledge of the virus and related health information reduced depression after the lockdown period, even though the COVID-19 lockdown’s initial phase had the potential to do so due primarily to uncertainty and fear of infection.

Part 2

The evolution of cognitive, behavioral, and social changes that take place after a diagnosis, as well as the initial inkling that something is amiss, have a significant impact on an individual’s quality of life (QOL). People with early- to mid-stage Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias are sometimes able and prepared to talk about their experiences regarding memory issues and other aspects of the condition when provided a structure to assist them organize their thoughts (McCabe, M., You and Tatangelo,2016). Also, they are reliable stewards of their own QOL. Nonetheless, many dementia sufferers rate their general quality of life as excellent or outstanding while experiencing losses that others may find horrible. As a result, improving QOL has been identified as a primary goal of dementia treatment, along with enhancing functional and cognitive abilities, postponing decline, and minimizing functional and behavioral disturbances (Daley et al,2019). This has led to QOL being recognized as an essential measurement of the overall influence of interventions for people with dementia. The ability to diagnose people with AD in its early stages has been made possible by improvements in diagnostic techniques and treatment alternatives. Early diagnosis provides several potential advantages, but it can also have unfavorable psychological and social effects on the diagnosed person. As a result, healthcare providers have a duty to assist patients and their families in adjusting to the impact of the diagnosis on QOL (Li et al,2019). To meet this demand, local chapters of the Alzheimer’s Society and other organizations have started offering early-stage support groups (ESSGs). The ESSGs often concentrate on giving participants and their families medical information on dementia, talking about coping mechanisms for dealing with changes in mood and activity, and promoting discussion about individual experiences with memory loss and related issues. Mixed results have been reported for these groups. While some studies show that groups increase members’ quality of life, others have discovered that stress, despair, or family conflict might arise due to the group’s discussion of recent and impending losses (Vaccarino et al,2020).

A model that emphasizes the following essential elements—capital, assets and resources, difficulties, flexibility, and capability for a satisfactory quality of life—will be used to guide the research. This paradigm acknowledges the significance of subjective evaluations in determining whether a person is leading a fulfilling life (Daley et al,2019).

Capital, possessions, and assets: They play a crucial part in shaping how dementia is perceived; they may have a direct influence on the symptoms and development of dementia sufferers or change both their ability to adapt and that of their careers, or both. They may alter how a disease develops, diminish the degree of any accompanying impairment, halt excessive incapacity, and reduce the risk of social isolation (Racine et al,2019).

They are made up of social factors like social networks, contacts, and interpersonal relationships as well as the availability of assistance and support; environmental factors like the neighborhood; financial factors like income; physical factors like physical function and fitness; psychological factors like optimism and self-worth, as well as access to and health care (Racine et al,2019). These capitals, assets, and resources may work differently depending on the severity and regularity of dementia-related and other issues, as well as how adaptable a person is (Vaccarino et al,2020). Social interaction, the expression of pleasant feelings, self-ratings of well-being, life satisfaction, and quality of life (QoL) are all indicators of how well a person suffering from dementia is navigating the various challenges presented by the condition (McCabe, You and Tatangelo,2016).

References

Barberio, B., Zamani, M., Black, C. J., Savarino, E. V., & Ford, A. C. (2021). Prevalence of symptoms of anxiety and depression in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis. The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 6(5), 359-370. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2468-1253(21)00014-5

Dai, L. L., Wang, X., Jiang, T. C., Li, P. F., Wang, Y., Wu, S. J., … & Cheng, Z. (2020). Anxiety and depressive symptoms among COVID-19 patients in Jianghan Fangcang Shelter Hospital in Wuhan, China. Plos one, 15(8), e0238416. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0238416

Daley, S., Murray, J., Farina, N., Page, T.E., Brown, A., Basset, T., Livingston, G., Bowling, A., Knapp, M. and Banerjee, S., 2019. Understanding the quality of life of family careers of people with dementia: Developing a new conceptual framework. International journal of geriatric psychiatry, 34(1), pp.79-86

Jha, M. K., Qamar, A., Vaduganathan, M., Charney, D. S., & Murrough, J. W. (2019). Screening and management of depression in patients with cardiovascular disease: JACC state-of-the-art review. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 73(14), 1827-1845

Li, H., Ge, S., Greene, B., & Dunbar-Jacob, J. (2019). Depression in the context of chronic diseases in the United States and China. International journal of nursing sciences, 6(1), 117-122. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnss.2018.11.007

McCabe, M., You, E. and Tatangelo, G., 2016. Hearing their voice: a systematic review of dementia family caregivers’ needs. The Gerontologist, 56(5), pp.e70-e88

Racine, A.M., D’Aquila, M., Schmitt, E.M., Gallagher, J., Marcantonio, E.R., Jones, R.N., Inouye, S.K. and Schulman-Green, D., 2019. Delirium burden in patients and family caregivers: developing and testing new instruments. The Gerontologist, 59(5), pp.e393-e402.

Vaccarino, V., Badimon, L., Bremner, J. D., Cenko, E., Cubedo, J., Dorobantu, M., … & ESC Scientific Document Group Reviewers Lancellotti Patrizio Carneiro António Vaz. (2020). Depression and coronary heart disease: 2018 position paper of the ESC working group on coronary pathophysiology and microcirculation. European heart journal, 41(17), 1687-1696.https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehz811